Alyssa Lies
by aussiebabe290
Summary: Oneshot. AU. A Charlie Buckton story set to Jason Michael Carroll's 'Alyssa Lies'. It deals with a common issue that Charlie first discovered as a seven year old- she didn't know it would affect her so much. Read and review, please.


**This is a Charlie oneshot/songfic, to Jason Michael Carroll's 'Alyssa Lies'. Read and review, please.**

**Love Rhyleigh xoxox**

* * *

"Daddy!" Charlie Buckton threw herself at the town's senior constable, hugging him tight. "Guess what?"

"What is it, Charlie?" Ross Buckton wanted to know, scooping the little girl into his arms to kiss his cheek. "What am I guessing?"

There was nothing more the police officer loved doing than picking up his excitable seven year old daughter from school- and then driving her home in the parole car. He loved to hear his stories, and she loved riding in the police vehicle- it was currently her favourite thing to do.

"I made a new friend today! We played together on the swings at lunch!" she squealed. But then her blue eyes darkened, tears filling the soft orbs. "But Daddy..."

"What's the matter, Charlie?" Ross was on high alert, as he took her hand and led her towards the car. "You can tell me".

It wasn't until Ross was tucking his daughter into bed that night that she blurted out what she had been trying to hide since they arrived home from school.

"Daddy, Alyssa lies".

"What, Charlie?" Ross asked. "How does Alyssa lie, darlin'?"

"She tells the teacher and all our class that everything's okay- and she wears her winter uniform even when it's hot! She has to wear that, to cover up the bruises. Alyssa lies every day, Daddy". Charlie's eyes were filled with tears again.

_Because Alyssa lies to the classroom,  
Alyssa lies everyday at school,  
Alyssa lies to the teachers  
as she tries to cover every bruise_

Ross pressed a kiss to her small forehead, comforting her. "Charlie, it's okay. I'll take care of it, alright?"

She nodded, trusting him with all her heart. "Okay, Daddy".

"Make sure you say your prayers, before you go to sleep", he reminded her, before leaving.

Standing outside of the little girl's room, with his wife Elsie, he listened to the child pray softly and sweetly to God.

"God bless my mummy and my daddy- and my new friend Alyssa... I know she needs you bad".

_Because Alyssa lies to the classroom,  
Alyssa lies everyday at school,  
Alyssa lies to the teachers  
as she tries to cover every bruise_

That night, Ross couldn't sleep. He hadn't been that disrupted since Charlie was a little non-sleeping newborn. All Ross wanted to do was calm his little girl's fears- and he knew what he had to do.

But come Monday morning, when he held his daughter's hand on the way to the school grounds, it was too late.

"Why does everyone look so sad, Daddy?" Charlie whispered. "Is it because they found out Alyssa lies?"

The lump in Ross Buckton's throat grew bigger with the more questions that Charlie asked.

"Alyssa's not going to be at school today, Charlie", he whispered, kissing her forehead soothingly, trying to hold back his own tears.

"Why not, Daddy?"

Charlie had always been a curious child, and both Ross and Elsie had encouraged it. But right then, Ross was regretting it.

"Alyssa's with Jesus, Charlie", he said finally, looking away. "Alyssa doesn't lie any more".

_'Cause she doesn't lie in the classroom  
She doesn't lie anymore at school  
Alyssa lies with Jesus  
because there's nothin' anyone would do_

That night, Ross heard Charlie talking to herself in her bedroom. Or, he thought.

Both he and his wife stood in the doorway, watching their daughter talk to her copy of her school photo for that year.

"I hope Jesus is okay, Alyssa", she whispered. "I hope you don't lie to Jesus".

* * *

Charlie Buckton's eyes were bright with tears, as she traced the images of her and her school friends, as seven and eight year olds. Her right pointer finger hovered right above the photograph of a little blonde girl, with dark circles around her eyes, wearing a winter uniform even though it was the middle of summer. 'Alyssa Taylor' was the name listed underneath.

"Alyssa didn't lie", she whispered.

It was right then that she felt the pain that her father must have felt, dealing with Alyssa's case, after her death.

Because it was the same feeling she had right then, dealing with her own child abuse case.

Alyssa Taylor would live on forever in her memory, as the little girl no one listened too.

And by the time someone did, it was too late.


End file.
